2024 Paramedic Entry Exam Study
Guide
Factors that can declare a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) - 3 or more patients; any
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situation that places such a great demand on available equipment and personnel
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START Triage system: - Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment; limited assessment of a
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patient ability to walk, respiratory status, hemodynamic status, and neurologic status.
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Spinal Immobilization of a pregnant woman: - using a long spine board with the board
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tilted left
II II
Splinting devices for a patient with bilateral injuries: - Backboard
II II II II II II II II II II II II II
Signs and symptoms of hemorrhagic shock: - low blood volume, Tachycardia, pale cool,
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
and clammy skin, tachypnea(rapid respirations), restlessness, agitation, and
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hypotension.
II
Determine a patient's level of consciousness: - Utilize the AVPU scale. (Awake and
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
Alert, Verbal Stimuli, Painful Stimuli, Unresponsive; using AxO questions, (Person, Place,
II II II II II II II II II II II
Time, Event
II II
Rapid Trauma Assessment - main goal is to find and determine any life threats and treat
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
them. Determine LOC, and assess airway, breathing, and circulation.
II II II II II II II II II
Focused Patient Assessment: - physical assessment that is typically performed on
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patients who have sustained nonsignificant mechanisms of injury or on responsive
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medical patients. Based on chief complaint and focuses on one body system or part.
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
Where to Palpate for a pulse on an unconscious patient: - PREFERRED place to
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palpate is the CAROTID ARTERY in UNCONSCIOUS PTs.
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Priority of injuries on a trauma patient - priority is to determine the life threats making
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sure to assess the Airway(clear and patent), breathing(rate, rhythm, quality), and
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circulation(Mental status, pulse rate rhythm, and quality, skin condition.; Possibly CABs,
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check for major bleeds and address any life-threatening bleeds before moving to clearing
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the airway and assessing breathing.
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Treatment of a burn patient-superficial burns - only affect the epidermis; Burn Centers
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
are recommended for pts with 10% BSA or greater, full-thickness, burns to hands, face, or
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genitalia. Chemical, and electrical burns. Inhalation injuries.;large dry, sterile dressing.
II II II II II II II II II II
Treat for shock
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, Treatment of a burn patient deep burns - Deep Burns(partial thickness)-burns that affect
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
the epidermis and part of the dermis but not the subcutaneous tissue. Characterized by
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
blisters and skin that is white to red, mottling
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Deep Burns(total thickness)- Burns that affect all skin layers and may affect the
II II II II II II II II II II II II
subcutaneous layers, muscle, bone, and internal organs leaving a dry, leathery white,
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brown, or charred.
II II II
Signs, symptoms, and treatment of a patient with a dislocated joint: - Deformity,
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
Swelling, pain aggravated by movement, tenderness on palpation, loss of normal joint
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motion, numbness or impaired circulation in limb or fingers
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Treatment: Stabilize in the position of comfort using a splint, sling, or brace. II II II II II II II II II II II II
How to splint an injured joint or fractured bone - inspect the area for DCAP-BTLS;
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
Assess pts neurovascular status distal to the site; Cover open wounds with a dry, sterile
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
dressing before splinting.; Do not move pt before splinting an extremity; stabilize the joints
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
above and below the fracture; stabilize the bones above and below the injured joint.
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
Pad all rigid splints;maintain manual stabilization to minimize movement;use constant,
II II II II II II II II II
gentle manual traction to align the limb so that it can be splinted.;any resistance to limb
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
alignment, splint the limb in its deformed position.
II II II II II II II II
Immobilize all suspected spinal injuries in a neutral inline position on the backboard II II II II II II II II II II II II
Treat for signs of shock. II II II II
Signs and symptoms of a spinal cord injury: - numbness,
II II II II II II II II II II II II II
Tingling, loss of changes in sensation in hands and feet. II II II II II II II II II
Paralysis; Pain or pressure in the head, neck, or back, II II II II II II II II II
loss of movement. II II
Loss of bladder or bowel control,
II II II II II
Difficulty with balance and walking. II II II II
Open vs. closed deformity of an extremity: - Open fracture- any break in a bone in which
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
the overlying skin has been broken; Closed fracture- any break in a bone in which the
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
overlying skin is not broken
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-Limb may appear to be shortened, rotated, or angulated at a point where there is no joint,
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
use the opposite uninjured limb as a mirror image for comparison.
II II II II II II II II II II II
How to treat a patient with pain in the pelvic area after a fall: - Assess the injured area
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
and check for rotation, deformity, crepitus, and shortening. Stabilize the patient with a
II II II II II II II II II II II II II
pelvic binder, and treat for shock.
II II II II II II
Comminuted: - A fracture in which the bone is broken into more than two fragments
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
Transverse: - A fracture that occurs straight across the bone. This is usually the result of
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a direct and relatively high-energy blow
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Impacted: - Pressed firmly together
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Guide
Factors that can declare a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) - 3 or more patients; any
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
situation that places such a great demand on available equipment and personnel
II II II II II II II II II II II II
START Triage system: - Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment; limited assessment of a
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
patient ability to walk, respiratory status, hemodynamic status, and neurologic status.
II II II II II II II II II II II
Spinal Immobilization of a pregnant woman: - using a long spine board with the board
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
tilted left
II II
Splinting devices for a patient with bilateral injuries: - Backboard
II II II II II II II II II II II II II
Signs and symptoms of hemorrhagic shock: - low blood volume, Tachycardia, pale cool,
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
and clammy skin, tachypnea(rapid respirations), restlessness, agitation, and
II II II II II II II II
hypotension.
II
Determine a patient's level of consciousness: - Utilize the AVPU scale. (Awake and
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
Alert, Verbal Stimuli, Painful Stimuli, Unresponsive; using AxO questions, (Person, Place,
II II II II II II II II II II II
Time, Event
II II
Rapid Trauma Assessment - main goal is to find and determine any life threats and treat
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
them. Determine LOC, and assess airway, breathing, and circulation.
II II II II II II II II II
Focused Patient Assessment: - physical assessment that is typically performed on
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
patients who have sustained nonsignificant mechanisms of injury or on responsive
II II II II II II II II II II II
medical patients. Based on chief complaint and focuses on one body system or part.
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
Where to Palpate for a pulse on an unconscious patient: - PREFERRED place to
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
palpate is the CAROTID ARTERY in UNCONSCIOUS PTs.
II II II II II II II II
Priority of injuries on a trauma patient - priority is to determine the life threats making
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
sure to assess the Airway(clear and patent), breathing(rate, rhythm, quality), and
II II II II II II II II II II II
circulation(Mental status, pulse rate rhythm, and quality, skin condition.; Possibly CABs,
II II II II II II II II II II II
check for major bleeds and address any life-threatening bleeds before moving to clearing
II II II II II II II II II II II II II
the airway and assessing breathing.
II II II II II
Treatment of a burn patient-superficial burns - only affect the epidermis; Burn Centers
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
are recommended for pts with 10% BSA or greater, full-thickness, burns to hands, face, or
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
genitalia. Chemical, and electrical burns. Inhalation injuries.;large dry, sterile dressing.
II II II II II II II II II II
Treat for shock
II II II
, Treatment of a burn patient deep burns - Deep Burns(partial thickness)-burns that affect
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
the epidermis and part of the dermis but not the subcutaneous tissue. Characterized by
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
blisters and skin that is white to red, mottling
II II II II II II II II II
Deep Burns(total thickness)- Burns that affect all skin layers and may affect the
II II II II II II II II II II II II
subcutaneous layers, muscle, bone, and internal organs leaving a dry, leathery white,
II II II II II II II II II II II II
brown, or charred.
II II II
Signs, symptoms, and treatment of a patient with a dislocated joint: - Deformity,
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
Swelling, pain aggravated by movement, tenderness on palpation, loss of normal joint
II II II II II II II II II II II II
motion, numbness or impaired circulation in limb or fingers
II II II II II II II II II
Treatment: Stabilize in the position of comfort using a splint, sling, or brace. II II II II II II II II II II II II
How to splint an injured joint or fractured bone - inspect the area for DCAP-BTLS;
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
Assess pts neurovascular status distal to the site; Cover open wounds with a dry, sterile
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
dressing before splinting.; Do not move pt before splinting an extremity; stabilize the joints
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
above and below the fracture; stabilize the bones above and below the injured joint.
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
Pad all rigid splints;maintain manual stabilization to minimize movement;use constant,
II II II II II II II II II
gentle manual traction to align the limb so that it can be splinted.;any resistance to limb
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
alignment, splint the limb in its deformed position.
II II II II II II II II
Immobilize all suspected spinal injuries in a neutral inline position on the backboard II II II II II II II II II II II II
Treat for signs of shock. II II II II
Signs and symptoms of a spinal cord injury: - numbness,
II II II II II II II II II II II II II
Tingling, loss of changes in sensation in hands and feet. II II II II II II II II II
Paralysis; Pain or pressure in the head, neck, or back, II II II II II II II II II
loss of movement. II II
Loss of bladder or bowel control,
II II II II II
Difficulty with balance and walking. II II II II
Open vs. closed deformity of an extremity: - Open fracture- any break in a bone in which
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
the overlying skin has been broken; Closed fracture- any break in a bone in which the
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
overlying skin is not broken
II II II II II
-Limb may appear to be shortened, rotated, or angulated at a point where there is no joint,
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
use the opposite uninjured limb as a mirror image for comparison.
II II II II II II II II II II II
How to treat a patient with pain in the pelvic area after a fall: - Assess the injured area
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
and check for rotation, deformity, crepitus, and shortening. Stabilize the patient with a
II II II II II II II II II II II II II
pelvic binder, and treat for shock.
II II II II II II
Comminuted: - A fracture in which the bone is broken into more than two fragments
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
Transverse: - A fracture that occurs straight across the bone. This is usually the result of
II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II
a direct and relatively high-energy blow
II II II II II II
Impacted: - Pressed firmly together
II II II II II II II II
